‘Join the ATS’ by Abram Games to Massachusetts USA

Fig 1. ‘Join the ATS’ by Abram Games, British Poster, 1941, Postcard Print © Imperial War Museum (Art, IWM PST 2823)

Today I replied to my pen pal Dan after receiving his fantastic postcard of the cave paintings of Dordogne, which you can see here and includes some truly wonderful expressionist art stamps.

This is my third postcard to Dan, but unfortunately this is the only one I have made a scan from. We are currently exchanging artist postcards, which has been fantastic for learning about different artists and exploring different styles and movements.

This postcard, featuring a print of a wartime poster by Abram Games was purchased from the Imperial War Museum, which is only a 10 minute walk from my home. I love graphic design, and work from this era can be so beautiful.

Abram Games (1914-1996) was born in Whitechapel, London, and was a British graphic designer. Born the day after WW1 started, it can be considered that Games was a true child of war. After dropping out of Saint Martin’s School of Art, and getting fired from his job at the design firm Askew-Young, it wasn’t until 1935 that his career really began when he won a poster competition for the London City Council. He landed several high profile commissions following a feature in the Art and Industry journal in 1937, including the Post Office and London Transport.

Games knew the impact his work could have on it’s audience, especially during wartime Britain, and describes his communicative influence as

‘I wind the spring and the public, in looking at the poster, will have that spring released in its mind’

Games served in WW2 until 1941, when he was enlisted as the official poster designer for the British Army, and subsequently created over 100 posters.

Games’ work spans over six decade, and is seen as a documentation of the era’s social history. His work contains bold colours, striking visuals and sophisticated modern typography.

The iconic poster shown in fig 1 was known as the blonde bombshell, however, the poster was later withdrawn over concerns that it would recruit women into the ATS for the wrong reasons, due to it’s glamorous qualities.

My favourites from Abram Games

‘Men on their Toes Read The Financial Times Every Day’ Abram Games, c.1950, Colour lithograph, 75.9 cm x 50.6 cm, V&A Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case Y, shelf 66, box C

Use Spades not Ships, Abram Games, 1941-1945, colour lithograph, 74.5 cm x 49.1 cm, V&A Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case Y, shelf 66, box C

‘Grow Your Own Food supply your own cookhouse’, Abram Games, 1942, colour lithograph, 75.9 cm x 49 cm, V&A Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case Y, shelf 66, box C

‘Festival of Britain’, Abram Games, 1951, Colour lithograph, 76.2 cm x 50.8 cm, V&A Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C, case Y, shelf 71, box C

This postcard was sent on Tuesday 29th March 2016.